Athletics programs put a huge financial burden on colleges. And it is the non-athlete students who often have to foot the bill
In defiance of the NCAA,
California governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 206 into law last month, better known as the Fair Pay to Play Act. Backed by Bernie Sanders and NBA superstar
LeBron James, the bill allows college athletes in the state to profit from their image and likeness.
The bill comes one year after the NCAA, the largest governing body for college sports in the
United States, reportedly amassed $1.1bn in revenue. Most of this money comes from the men’s
basketball March Madness tournament, according to CNBC, and a large portion also comes from college football bowl games. Although the Fair Pay to Play Act would not force the NCAA to pay athletes for any of those tournament, it will allow them to do paid public appearances, sign endorsement deals, offer private lessons and sell their memorabilia.